Left to right, Ronald Rios, Jennifer Foster, Arpana Inman and Kyle Anderson. Photo submitted.
Middlesex County and Rutgers University’s Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology host ‘Partnering to Prioritize Our Students’ Mental Health’ event. Designed for school mental health professionals, the event was centered around awareness and support.
MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NJ – Middlesex County partnered with Rutgers University’s Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology (GSAPP) to host an event on Thursday, February 9, for school mental health professionals on the crisis of student mental health in the post-pandemic environment. The event was designed to share how to use multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) to build school mental health programming, the importance of building trauma informed schools, and how schools can manage anxiety and high stress.
The event was attended by mental health professionals including Middlesex County school district superintendents, directors of student services, directors of school counseling, and others. Among the speakers at the event were Ronald G. Rios, Director of the Board of County Commissioners; Dr. Jonathan Holloway, President of Rutgers University; Kyle Anderson, County Superintendent; Dr. Jennifer Foster, Director of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support Programs, GSAPP; Dr. Arpana Inman, Dean of GSAPP; Dr. Erum Nadeem, Associate Professor, GSAPP; and Dr. Kelly Moore, Director of the Center for Psychological Services, GSAPP.
Dr. Jonathan Holloway, President of Rutgers University was a virtual presenter. Photo submitted.
“We are so fortunate to have a leading university like Rutgers located right here in Middlesex County – and even more so that they are willing to collaborate with us on events like this,” said County Commissioner Director Ronald G. Rios. “Improving students’ mental health is not a challenge we will overcome in just one day – it is a battle we must fight every day. But the outcome… students who are happier, more resilient, and better prepared to cope with trauma, pressure, and stress is one that will benefit not only those students and their families, but our community as a whole. And I believe that together, we can make that outcome a reality.”
“As a Board, we have made a larger commitment to mental health that includes, but extends beyond, this event. Events like this give us the opportunity to collaborate with a world-class partner to offer support and resources to those within the community helping our students navigate mental health issues.” said County Commissioner Chanelle Scott McCullum.
“The Middlesex County Superintendent’s Office recognizes the importance of supporting the mental health of our students. Having the ability to remediate the current mental health crisis is paramount. However, we cannot do it alone. Developing partnerships with universities like Rutgers will help to create support systems that are effective and sustainable,” said Middlesex County Superintendent Kyle Anderson.
“GSAPP takes great pride in partnering with the local communities with which we engage and serve. We are thrilled to work with Middlesex County on the topic of youth mental health, and we view this event as the beginning of a continuous conversation around this critical issue,” said Dr. Arpana Inman, Dean of GSAPP.
“It is energizing and encouraging to see everyone come together in support of youth mental health. As a community, we are stronger together, and we must use this strength to build comprehensive and sustainable mental health systems in our public schools,” said Dr. Jennifer Foster, Director of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support Programs, GSAPP.
